VW New Car Gone Wrong - Advice please

CleoTheCat_2

I picked this up from another site - hope it can be of some use to you:-

Rejecting a car is for serious problems - for when they have no repair solution or when the car is very young. The chance of successful rejection diminishes as the car gets older.

Forget about previous fixed problems for the moment, they are history now as long as they are fixed concentrate on the current unfixed problems only.

The Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended) is the statute which covers the sale whether it be a car, clothes or a toaster that you are buying. When buying from a dealer, the law says that a car must be:

* Of satisfactory quality
* As described, and
* Fit for the purpose

Satisfactory quality - It must meet the standard that a reasonable person would regard as acceptable and be free from defects, except those which are specifically brought to the attention of the customer or, if the customer examines the car before the contract is made, those which the examination should have revealed.

As Described - This includes the history of the car as well as its specification. For example, if the dealer described the car as previously having 'one careful lady owner', it shouldn't turn out to have had several previous 'boy racer' owners.

Fit For the Purpose - It must be reasonably fit for any normal purpose and this includes any purpose that you specify to the seller.

If any of the above are breached then, in theory, you may have the right to reject the vehicle and get your money back if you are reasonably quick. Alternatively the dealer might offer to replace or repair the car; reduce the price or offer a partial refund. Once you have informed the dealer that you wish to reject the car, you must cease to use the vehicle.

If the dealer, or finance company (if bought on hire purchase), is disputing the rejection, then it's up to you to prove your case. You will need to pay for an independent assessment of the car and sue for damages. If you do choose a repair, insist the dealer provides you with a hire car or pays any travelling expenses you incur while your new car is in the garage.

If the car is new, it is likely that the claim will be too high to be fought using the Small Claims procedure so you may have to pay for legal representation. All this can be pretty daunting and expensive. You need to weigh up the pros and cons before rejecting a car. Would a repair do just as well? Selecting a dealer that offers a no quibbles exchange policy may help.

AS I say, some of it may be of use to you - good luck.

~Lisa~

Bert_Anderson

The smart alec answer would also be to buy Japanese I'm afraid to say as already suggested by Denise.